Thyroxine case study.

[teresa48]

After doing some research on thyroid problems I came across a document about thyroxine medication and it said that thyroxine was better to be taken at night instead of morning time apparently they are suppose to work better while your body is at rest what do you think

[puncturedbicycle]

I took mine at night and found I slept better but sadly nothing else changed.

[Clutter]

Horses for courses. As ever, one size doesn't fit all and its worth seeing whether night time or morning dosing suits. Hospital pharmacist told me absorption is better in the morning.

[Dannia]

It kept me awake, and the same with T3 and NDT.

[Glynisrose]

It depends really on the type of thyroxine you are taking. Most are best taken on an empty stomach which is why people take theirs at night. You are not supposed to eat too close afterwards either.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Glynisrose]

I don't understand your comment at all. What you you mean by "type of thyroxine"?

[Glynisrose in reply to helvella]

Why? Do you think there is only one kind? Or two? Different thyroxines have different properties is what I meant. I chew my Armour but you couldn't and shouldn't do that with levo, it is a coated tablet meant to dissolve slowly in the stomach.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Glynisrose]

Ah - I would never include desiccated thyroid in a list of types of thyroxine albeit one of the hormones it contains is thyroxine.

I am not aware that any UK levothyroxine tablets are coated. Indeed, the Patient Information Leaflet of at least one explicitly states that it is perfectly acceptable to dissolve/disperse them in water.

Further, the way in which liquid levothyroxine products were licensed with little extra consideration suggests very strongly to me that chewing levothyroxine tablets is likely to be absolutely fine. Simply need to swish water through your mouth afterwards.

(I have actually seen suggestions that at least the makers of Armour have scratched theirs heads over the idea of people chewing their tablets.)

Rod

[humanbean in reply to Glynisrose]

I could never dose with levo at night and I don't understand how anyone else can make this work either. If I go to bed with an empty stomach I find it hard to get to sleep. If my blood sugar drops too far I wake up and can't get back to sleep again. I also end up being freezing cold.

[Emlico]

I couldn't take mine at night because of my sleep pattern, I fall asleep anytime between 7 and 9 pm usually !! So take it first thing when I wake at 6 am

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Have a read of the poll conducted here including the many comments:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

And several previous posts with many comments:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Rod

[sandyjak]

I take mine at night and have improved each week don't eat 2 hrs before and 2 hrs after and dont take with any other medications it's the best advice I have ever been given I work shifts and find it suits me better I also feel 75% better than I did taking it on a morning

[Redditch]

We're all different... but there is a study called the circadian T3 method which explains it better, I know people who have tried it and some say it's good some say it's worse, when I was on Levo I tried it but it made no difference, T3 at night keeps me awake... None of the Thyroid meds should be taken within 4 hours of vitamin D3 so I either take my NDT first thing and D3 at lunchtime or the other way round... try it... that's all you can do

[MaryMary in reply to Redditch]

Hi Redditch

I've not heard of taking thyroid medicine away from Vit D3, do you have a link to this research please?

Thanks,

Mary

[Redditch in reply to MaryMary]

it was written on the patient information leaflet of the prescribed Adcal 800 that the doctor gave me way back when... I'll look it up for you

[Alli1 in reply to Redditch]

Have just seen Mary's post now we are thinking along the same lines!

[Redditch in reply to MaryMary]

Here's the link to the patient information leaflet medicines.org.uk/emc/medici...

and it says...

Other medicines and Adcal-D3

If you are taking thyroxine... etc etc etc, when taking these medicines, leave a period of about 4 hrs before taking your adcal D3 tablets. Do not take them at the same time..

[MaryMary in reply to Redditch]

Thanks for the speedy reply. I think it may be the calcium rather than the Vit D as it is a known to affect the absorption of Levo, along with whole grains, which is why breakfast foods are such an issue. Ironically, I don't have a link for this info. Also, T3 is not affected in the same way as Levo.

[Redditch in reply to MaryMary]

My breakfast is one fried egg 2 sausages 2 bacon 1 large tomato.. I don't have any grain at all except oat cakes... I am a constant 10st 4lbs and have been since I completely ditched all bread, cereal, wheat and dairy.. it finally allowed my thryoxine medication to get through and then I was tickety boo

[MaryMary in reply to Redditch]

That's really good news but when can I come round to join you for breakfast?!

[Redditch in reply to MaryMary]

any time you like... always got a fridge full of bacon eggs and sausages... I never thought I could give up bread and dairy but the books said it and then my endo suggested it and I have honestly not looked back. my antibodies have gone.. I've dropped my medication from 2 grains to 1.. My temperature is normal, my cholesterol is normal, my blood pressure is normal, and I am back to myself.. It was a long long road getting the diet and the meds right.. but it's possible

[ecogran in reply to Redditch]

Have you managed to find gluten-free sausages Redditch? The ones I eat are by Helen Browning - gluten-free, 96% pork and part cooked so only take four or five minutes to brown. They are delicious

[Redditch in reply to ecogran]

Sainsbury's do one called Black Farmer I don't have a gluten problem.anyway I am just off WHEAT which is like evil or something

[Alli1 in reply to Redditch]

Thank you Redditch I had no idea that Vit D3 had to be taken three hrs apart from thyroid meds I have been taking mine within the hour! Is there a link which says that it needs to be 4 hrs?

[Redditch in reply to Alli1]

yes.. my first thing is 6:30 and my lunch is midday..

[Diomalco]

Think 'when' is an individual thing. I used to take L. in the morning and then switched to night. It hasn't made any difference even though I take the drugs in isolation (I have several others for other health probs. taken each day.) My days and nights are still 'as they come' and often interchangeable. I think everyone has to experiment to find what best suits their particular metabolism. Been trying for a few years but so far haven't cracked this, but will keep at it.

[jaxnbreeze]

I tried taking mine at night but within an hour of taking levo. I feel rearing to go. Not good in the early hours!

[sky00]

one more note, on interference with levo--dr.oz recommends--not ; Walnuts

Walnuts are high in dietary fiber and on average contain 31% of your daily value of fiber per cup – this is great for your digestion and cholesterol, but could potentially alter the absorption of certain medications.

Be careful if you take levothyroxine. Walnuts may decrease the absorption of levothyroxine, the medication most commonly used to treat hypothyroidism. Other dietary fiber supplements, as well as soybean flour, may also affect the function of levothyroxine.

[Redditch]

god if you want to list what stops levothyroxine working you could write a book! Not enough vitamin D or C or B12 or adrenal fatigue or a leaky gut or intolerance to the lactose that it's full of or inability to convert T4 into T3.. really you're blessed indeed if it DOES work...

[123happy]

You've forgot Anemia, I have that, and guess what ? Thyroxine is compromised, yet again, it would seem. I'm on Iron and not so dog tired. I agree with you 100 % Redditch, bloody lucky if anything works for you. ! It's a minefield. I take mine at night, I need tea in the morning. Pffft ! Lol.

[Coastwalker]

I changed to taking my Levothyroxine at night on an empty stomach and 4 hours away from Dairy (calcium,) and iron as members on here had suggested.

I had started to go down hill rapidly and felt I needed to help myself as my Doctor's appointment was still one week away, I had strong pains all over, (myalgia I was told by several members,) feeling tired even after sleep, several sleeps a day was needed, plus loss of concentration (foggy brain.)

By changing Levo medication times, within two days it got rid of my foggy brain, I woke up refreshed, I was more energetic and felt able to exercise once more without thinking I was doing damage to my bones. My pains all fell away like some kind of miracle, but two weeks later after telling Doc I was well again a few aches and pains came back to haunt me. (probably the Levo levelling itself out.)

I asked Doc for a review in 6 weeks time, but Doc said in 3 months time I just couldn't wait all that time to see Doc as it hurt so much, (also had painful tail bone problem) so I have self medicated with some more vit D.

Doc had said my last vit D bloods were slightly low, but didn't want me to up them as 1000iu was already quite a high dose, some members on here said 1000iu wasn't that high like Doc had called it.

By upping my VitD3 It has helped get rid of almost all pains and my tailbone pain within two days which even I couldn't believe, but still feel I need a slight tweak of a bit more Levo.